KEY POINTS:
It was not a matter of gone in 60 seconds - more a few minutes.
But a man's car stealing spree which began last year and has allegedly netted him at least 25 cars was not a complex steal-to-order operation but a case of a P addict looking for fast cash for his next score.
The prolific car thief who allegedly stole the cars from throughout Auckland and the central North Island was arrested last week after a routine vehicle stop by a highway patrol officer on State Highway 2 near Hamilton.
The officer found the 28-year-old driving a Subaru reported stolen four days earlier outside a supermarket in suburban Hamilton.
A closer look showed the car had number plates on it allegedly stolen from another vehicle in Rotorua.
Police say the man, who is known to them and has previous convictions for dishonesty, later told officers he had been stealing the vehicles - some of them run down and about 10 years old - to fund his methamphetamine (P) habit.
Detective Sergeant Carl Moon of Hamilton police said the man was a "fairly proficient" car thief who had a "particular liking" for Subaru cars and Honda Civics.
By yesterday, 24 cars - most of which still had their parts - had been recovered and police have been able to track his offending from the Waikato, Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki and Manawatu areas.
"He got good at it because he always targeted certain types of cars," said Mr Moon.
"I wouldn't describe it as a gone in 60 seconds kind of thing but he definitely knows how he can get into them quickly and have them started within a certain time."
Mr Moon was loath to discuss the man's methods or where the stolen cars were kept, but said he would often swap stolen plates for use on other vehicles.
"The reason we are able to link into a large number of his offences is the way he goes about what he's doing and one of those things is not through selling cars, it's through him using them."
Waikato police communications manager Andrew McAlley said the man had been "very mobile" with his alleged offending.
"In one instance the man went to a supermarket car park and waited for a person in a neighbouring car to go inside," he said. "With his car still running he broke into the other car and drove away."
Police are not ruling out the possibility of more cars emerging as stolen or further arrests as inquiries continue.
"We are keeping an open mind about it," said Mr McAlley. "This is the largest number of stolen cars police have dealt with for some time and reports are still being gathered."
A man, who is facing several charges of car theft among others, has been remanded in custody to appear in the Hamilton District Court next week.
